Classic Pad See Ew Recipe

If you've ever ordered from or been to a Thai restaurant, then chances are you've seen pad see ew on the menu. While this is a popular Thai dish nowadays, it actually originated in China. According to Foodicles, Teochew people immigrated to Bangkok from Southern China, and they're the masterminds behind stir-frying noodles. They brought their noodle-making technique with them to Thailand, and voila, that's how pad see ew (and a handful of other familiar dishes) was born. This wonderful dish is known for its chewy, flat noodles that are accompanied by a soy-based sauce. You can add a little chili for a kick of heat, then finish the dish with some broccoli and your favorite protein.

Recipe developer Ting Dalton is the brains behind this particular recipe. "I absolutely love the flavor of this classic pad see ew. It takes me back to Thailand and the time I spent there eating this from street vendors," Dalton shares. "My whole family enjoys eating this, and it makes for a quick and tasty stir-fry meal." 

Keep reading to find out how to make this wonderful dish yourself.

Once you are ready to begin, you will need to gather all the ingredients. Pick up flat rice stick noodles, chicken breasts, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, water, broccolini, garlic, eggs, and vegetable oil. It's important to get both types of soy sauce. "Pad see ew takes its main flavor from soy, so it is pretty important to have the two," Dalton explains. "[They're both] easily found in most grocery stores or Asian supermarkets."

Grab the noodles and cook them according to the directions on the packet; each brand will be slightly different. Dalton's favorite method involves placing the noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them until they get soft.

Grab a mixing bowl that's large enough to fit all the sauce components. Then add the soy sauces, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and water. Like an extra kick? "If you would like to make this spicier, you can add a tablespoon of Sriracha," Dalton shares.

Place a large wok or a frying pan on your stove and turn the heat to high. Add a tablespoon of oil and let it heat up. Next, toss in the garlic and cook for about 10 seconds. Add the chicken and cook for about 4 minutes or so, until it starts to brown. 

While Dalton uses chicken here, she notes that "this is a great recipe for other meat — including beef. You can also used shrimp or tofu for a vegan alternative; just take out the fish sauce and use vegan oyster sauce."

Once the chicken has browned a little, you can add the broccoli. "I've used tender stem broccoli [aka broccolini] as it's easier to get hold of rather than Chinese broccoli. They make a great alternative," Dalton says.

Continue cooking for another couple minutes. Next, push the contents of the wok to one side and add the eggs. Scramble them on the one side and then mix them in with the other ingredients. 

Remove the chicken, broccoli, and eggs from the pan and put them to one side. Scrape off any extra bits that remain in the wok. Then, heat some more oil and add the sauce. At this point, you can add the noodles — a handful at a time — making sure to coat them in the sauce.

Once all the noodles have been added, throw the chicken, broccoli, and egg back into the wok and continue to stir.

Once you mix everything together, you can serve and enjoy your homemade pad see ew. Dalton suggests having a little bit of chili sauce on the side. Since you have noodles, protein, and a veggie, this meal is pretty complete on its own. 

If you have any leftovers, be sure to keep them for another meal. Dalton says they can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days; just reheat in the microwave.